By Our Reporter
Following the conviction of the notorious kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, also known as Wadume, and two others to seven years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Binta Nyako, the Initiative for Better Societal Enlightenment (IBSE), has commended DCP Abba Kyari for what it described as his doggedness in ensuring the arrest of the kidnap kingpin.
Wadume was convicted on two of the 13-count charges against him and two others.
In a statement on Monday, the Executive Director of IBSE, Dr Ofilli Odey, noted that following the conviction, “Wadume would no longer be threat to innocent people as he is now cooling his heels in prison.”
According to Odey, “Nigerians must commend Kyari because in the wider context, he is more Nigerian than today’s leaders.
“Someone like Kyari would have compromised because Wadume is very rich and influential and was ready to pay whatever amount but Kyari stood his ground. Today justice is served.
“He also did not compromise in the arrest of another dangerous Kidnap kingpin, Evans who offered Kyari 3 million dollars for him to be quietly kept in a hotel for 3 days and after payment of the 3 million dollars, that he should be released to go but Kyari rejected the offer and reported the arrest to his Boss the then IGP Ibrahim Idris, who ordered the Police Public Relations Officer to release the arrest to the public.
“If Kyari had accepted that offer from Evans, he would have released him quietly without anybody knowing.
“Likewise, Kyari did not compromised in any of the thousands of armed robbers, kidnappers, terrorist, murderers that he arrested all across the country without government funding.
“Kyari would have been very rich if he had collected money and released these dangerous criminals back to the society quietly because they were all ready to pay whatever amount to be released quietly without members of the public knowing.
“The type of sacrifice DCP Kyari made for his country for 2 decades, which resulted to all the awards and commendations he got that attracted a lot of envy and enemies to him.”
Expressing disappointment that the prosecution may have failed to pursue a good case, which is why the sentence appears light, Odey however said: “What we can take from the sentence is that, Wadume has been jailed. The federal government can also appeal the judgement to seek better judgement so that notorious criminals like Wadume can get the type of judgement they deserve.
While frowning at the way and manner DCP Kyari is being kept in Prison even though it is a bailable offence, the group said: “Keeping someone many people say is innocent in prison without bail for allegations that are bailable in law, is not good for the psyche of Nigerians and other uniform personnel serving the nation, that will say, if somebody like Kyari, who gave his all for Nigeria and is being treated this way because of clear set up by envious colleagues and media trial, they will equally be treated like that by some mischief forces no matter the sacrifice they make for their country.
“Fighting crime especially high level crime is not easy. That’s why Kyari has a lot of enemies. We all know, one does not need to commit wrong before being implicated. People can easily set you up even if you do your job diligently especially when your achievements are all over the country and you have recognitions and awards from the presidency, National Assembly etc. That alone will attract a lot of enemies and some envious colleagues to plan against him.”
